View full sizeThe National Weather Service office in Calera Alabama is taking to Twitter to get out the message on severe weather. (The Birmingham News/Joe Songer)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- National Weather Service forecasters in Birmingham now have new way to reach people with warnings about severe weather: Twitter.

Starting today you can follow the weather service @NWSBirmingham on Twitter, the online social networking site.

To look at a sample of a severe weather thunderstorm warning and for more information on how to set up go here.

The weather service has already been using Facebook as a way to convey weather warnings.

In an e-mail, weather service warning coordination meteorologist John De Block reminds people that Twitter and Facebook are not fail-safe substitutes for other forms of severe weather notifications.

"There is no guarantee that all Facebook and Twitter posts will be delivered in a timely manner to all of those subscribed," he wrote. "Maintaining redundant, layered sources of information is the safest way to ensure that you receive the information you need when an emergency occurs."

The weather service went up on Twitter at 10 a.m. and by 1:30 p.m. had 554 followers, De Block said.

He said it is important to note that the service is designed for the 39 counties monitored by the Birmingham office of the weather service.